I Throw Myself Into The Sea
by TrianaNero
Summary: Based on Viria's drawings and same called song. Nico is thinking about finishing himself off, but then lots of stuff happens and he doesn't really need to do it anymore... Yes, I suck at summaries. Cute Percy/Nico stuff (including HoH spoilers), cute Hazel/Nico stuff, confession, a bit of drama and more!


I Throw Myself Into The Sea

Nico di Angelo was sitting on a cliff, staring at the Long-Island sound. Although he was in a mortal world, he could clearly hear voices from the river Cocytos, reaching out for him right from Tartarus.  
Everything is pointless, they were telling him. You cannot change the others. You cannot change yourself. You are destined to die alone. A son of Hades, come and share your pain, share it with us.  
It wasn't what the voices in the river were usually talking about, but Nico had quite a good imagination after all.  
The wind battered his hair. It was October, so the weather was… well, typical for the season. It had been raining heavily a day ago, and soil was still wet. Despite the climate conditions, the surface of the Atlantic Ocean was smooth and plain, as if Poseidon was in a good mood today.  
And why wouldn't he.  
His son, Percy Jackson, was a hero once again. The war with Gaea was over - the goddess went back to sleep, the giants were slain and all the monsters returned to Tartarus where they belong. It seemed like only Nico still couldn't find where he belongs. He though about all the sacrifices they had to make. So many wonderful heroes died in this war - Frank, Piper, Leo, Reyna to name a few. Reyna… she died in Camp Half-Blood, right after she fulfilled her promise and got the statue to the Half-Blood Hill. Daughter of Bellona was protecting helpless Nico from the Laestrygonians (Coach Hedge was already dead by that moment) and one of them managed to stab her with his improvised stone dagger. The son of Hades made a desperate shadow-jump and almost killed himself, but at least they stopped Camp Jupiter's attack on Greek camp. But nothing could've saved Reyna. Two more deaths because of him. Even after being in Tartarus, he still wasn't strong enough.  
As far as he could tell, he wasn't far from the camp, a mile or two maybe. He found this cliff a long time ago and he considered it to be a perfect place to end everything ever since.  
And that day seemed like a perfect time.  
He wasn't sure why he wanted to jump into the sea (of course he had some theories, but he did his best to disprove them). Maybe it wouldn't be that painful? Although on the contrary it appeared that he deserved much more suffering for everything he'd done. He betrayed the demigods who called themselves his friends so many times, he caused so many deaths and misery. He brought misfortune to all the people around him, he radiated anger and hatred. They might actually be relieved after he passes away. If there was a place where he belonged a bit, it was Underworld. His father's domain.  
And he is the ghost king after all.  
Nico took his Stygian sword in his hands, staring at it with curiosity. He wondered how the others would react. Apparently, nobody would mourn him, but still… Maybe that wasn't his best choice? A gust of summer wind flew over his face. He inhaled sharply, enjoying the scent of strawberries. Even if that was be a better outcome for him, what would it do to Hazel…  
Nico shuddered when he thought about his sister. She's the closest family he has. He got her out of Underworld, and what for? To watch in horror the death of the guy she was in love with? To sacrifice her sanity in this war? To lose everything once again? He knew he also was an important part of her life. Almost the most important. After Frank's death he's been spending a surprising amount of time with Hazel, trying his best to comfort her. Of course it wasn't enough, but his sister seemed to really appreciate it. She often rode to Camp Half-Blood on Arion (Nico still wasn't actually welcome in Roman camp after the story with Reyna), hoping to meet him, and he was always there for her. Sometimes she even spent a night in Hades's cabin. Hazel was offered to be a praetor, but she refused. At least she needed some time to think. Still, campers relied on her in many important decisions, so she was trying to avoid all the meetings with senators and lares from time to time. Once, three days after the final battle, she broke down. The girl was trying so desperately not to cry in front of the others, she simply couldn't stand it anymore. Hazel got to Greek camp to find Nico in Hades's cabin, waiting for her, and the moment she came in, she started sobbing - terribly, so sadly and tiredly that even Nico couldn't stay away. He stormed to her, embraced her gently and helped to get to bed. He sit with her for a while, letting her to get rid of all the tears and emotions, just hugging her silently. The girl fell asleep on his shoulder, so Nico carefully tucked her in the blanket. However, his best efforts weren't enough - he accidentally woke her up, and she begged him to stay. What was he supposed to do, looking at pleading amber eyes of his sister? Nico didn't like any sort of physical contact, but that didn't apply to Hazel. She was family. And he couldn't leave her like that. It was still a bit uncomfortable and strange for him, but he climbed into the bed and laid under the blanket, hugging Hazel, while she nestled in his arms, burying her face to his chest. His skin was always cold, so he doubted it was pleasant - cuddling with him - but Hazel fell asleep very soon, looking peaceful for the first time in days. Surprisingly, Nico found it nice - sleeping with another warm person. He didn't even have nightmares - which was astonishingly amazing.  
He was thinking about it with a light smile. Hazel was such a nice and strong girl, she definitely didn't deserve any of the things that had happened to her. And how could he abandon her like this? How could he even think about doing such thing to himself, not even giving a second thought to his sister's possible reaction? His smile faded. Hazel lost her mother, she lost her life and was brought back to fight in a war where she lost her boyfriend, her previous boyfriend's bisabuelo and many great loyal friends. Gods know what will happen to her if Nico dares…  
No. Nico shook his head. He was still making decisions and rushing into conclusions like a child - without even thinking about consequences. And if there is one person he truly cares about, it is Hazel. He wouldn't do that to her, not willingly.  
And Percy… now, that was more difficult. On one hand, Percy was partly the reason of Nico's desire to finish himself off. He couldn't be near him without getting angry at himself, then the son of Poseidon saw it and tried to help, as if to make all the matters worse. Of course he didn't understand anything, but he was Percy freaking Jackson - the guy was incredibly nice and loyal to every living thing that didn't try to kill him. Even Nico included. But the son of Hades hardly thought Percy would be glad to find lifeless boy while swimming. Oh, come on - that demigod could get on his nerves even if Nico'd go to Underworld. Plus… he didn't want to hurt Percy. Maybe it was his wishful thinking, but he liked supposing that son of the sea god might be sad about that possible loss. And was that even what Nico wanted to do - to hurt his cousin?  
He signed, confused by his own indecisiveness. He needed more time to think - somewhere far away from here. Perhaps, New Orlean? There was that lovely graveyard Nico'd found before the second Titan war. He hasn't been there in months. Quite an appropriate place to clear his thoughts, he might even get an opportunity to talk to some sophisticated suicidal ghosts and hear them out. Not the best thing to do - listening to the dead - but Nico was reasonably careful since that story with Minos. He wasn't going to let yet another deadman to fool him.  
Nico got up, holding the sword in his left arm, shook the grass off his jeans and turned away from the sea to go to some darker place to shadow-travel - only to find himself face to face with an angry hissing red-eyed cheerleader.

His reaction was too slow.  
He recognized Kelli - an empousa he met in Tartarus. He managed to wound her that time and get away, but obviously, she has reformed and now was going to get her own back. He saw the second girl, unfamiliar to him, also in cheerleader uniform. She was standing a dozen feet away, grinning in delight. They had no weapon, but they had their claws and teeth - and that was more than enough to finish off a half-blood. And there might be even more of them in the woods.  
All these thoughts raced through his head in split second, while Kelli stabbed him in his chest with her claws. She ripped his flesh, digging deeper with her fingers, making blood flood all over his abdomen. Nico stumbled and almost fell, but empousa was holding him tight. Tears filled his eyes, but he managed not to scream. Kelli closed her eyes and laughed loudly.  
"Now look at this", she said with pleased red glint in her eyes. "Don't you think I've forgotten a boy like you, di Angelo. What a nice fight we had back in the pit, huh?" She raised her arm, getting Nico's legs up from the ground, and he cried in pain. His vision was already blurry. He knew he was a deadman within minutes. But he had to do something.  
Kelli was though to be the first of her kind; she was skilled and wise… for a monster. But apparently, she was over enjoying being back in mortal world, so she completely forgot about the sword, hanging in Nico's left arm behind his back. Maybe she expected him to drop it, or she was so engrossed with getting vengeance that she hadn't even noticed it.  
"All your little friends have forgotten you!" Kelli laughed cruelly, enjoying an expression on Nico's face. "They left you, because no one needs a son of Death! Believe me, I know what I'm talking about, child. I'm doing you a favor. Those demigods will never consider you one of their kind. But I do!" she grinned. "You're a monster, Nico. The children of Hades are like their daddy." The empousa held his chin, almost gently, raising his head higher. "But don't worry - I'll make them suffer. I'll make them all choke with their own blood. You… I like you," she admitted. "Even though you've tried to kill me, you're an outcast, just like we are. It's a shame I have to eat you, but you'll meet the others very soon".  
That was her mistake. Nico realized that she and at least one more empousa were heading to Camp Half-Blood. He couldn't let them get there. He had to stop them, no matter what. The son of Hades gripped his sword tighter, trying to get all the strength that was left in him for one single strike.  
"I wish I could torture you", Kelli licked her lips, "for like, eternity. But I'm too hungry to carry this foreplay on, boy. See you in hell!" She bared her fangs and lunged forward, but before she could bite his neck, Nico raised his sword, barely able to hold it, but with enough speed, and stabbed her right in the place where her heart should've been.  
"Right", he answered, trying to stay conscious, "Show me the way, bitch." Kelli didn't even get a chance to scream - Stygian iron absorbed her existence on spot, leaving nothing but a pile of dust, scattered by the wind.  
Nico fell to his knees, his whole body seemed to be on fire. His ribs must've been broken, because breathing was extremely painful. He could barely see or think, but he didn't forget about the second empousa. For a moment she was shocked and confused by the death of her elder sister, but then she roared and started to get closer to the son of Hades. Obviously, she was younger and had less experience, because she was too slow and careful. The cheerleader could've finished him off dozens of times, but she was too scared of his black sword.  
Meanwhile, Nico was trying desperately to figure something out. He couldn't kill her. Damn, he couldn't even move. Shadow-travel would kill him. So would trying to fight, scream or even talk. It seemed as if his insides were going to spill out of him, leaving nothing in his body. The boy didn't know how deep the wound was - deep enough to kill him, though.  
So, he thought, this is the end. Right when I've decided to postpone my death, here it comes. Hades-style. Great.  
Maybe it's destined to be that way?  
There was buzzing in his ears. At first he thought it was because of the bleeding, but seconds later he realized - his soul was slowly heading towards the Underworld. He was dying.  
An empousa was only a few feet away, getting enough courage.  
I'm not going to be her dinner, he decided. The first way is the right one.  
He made himself stand up, making bleeding even worse. How in a Hades could he still stand? Anyway, he was grateful for that. He even managed to pick up his sword, making the monster jump back, hissing in anger.  
The sea was right behind him, sparkling in the lights of sunset. Jumping there would kill him instantly, right? He wouldn't drown, he would break every single bone in his body, so high was the cliff. Even if he managed to survive the fall (which was impossible by definition), the sea was his uncle's domain. And the gods weren't usually welcome-dear-guest-make-yourself-home type.  
But that was his best shot. At least he wouldn't be eaten by that silly girl.  
Hazel, he thought, I'm sorry.  
He stepped back, holding his sword in front of him in defense. The monster finally understood that he was absolutely helpless, but it was too late. With a careless smile, the son of Hades fell back, his arms wide spread, letting his body go straight to the plain surface of the ocean.


End file.
